Safari with 27 abroad wrecks on Veyvah reef causing huge damage

M. Veyvah reef has been significantly damaged after a safari named ‘Myna-1’ wrecked on the reef.

Speaking with Sun regarding the incident, Veyvah Council President Mamdhooh Waheed said the safari wrecked the island’s reef after the vessel’s anchor came loose during a rain shower on Thursday night while docked at the island’s lagoon.

He detailed that 18 tourists and nine crew members were aboard the safari at the time of the incident.

Mamdhooh said they were all at sea when help reached them after the incident was reported.

“When they called us, we went to assist on two dinghies and a speedboat. They were at the sea then. [The safari] was overturned significantly to a point they could not stay aboard,” he said.

Mamdhoodh further said all tourists were brought to Veyvah, adding the crew traveled to the island on the safari's dive boat. 

He emphasized that the safari cannot be refloated using the resources available on the island. However, he noted that discussions took place to refloat the safari using balloons, adding that MNDF officials had been active at the scene earlier today.

While the case has yet to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the authority’s director general Ibrahim Naeem said they were seeking information regarding the incident.